HyIron advances green hydrogen initiative with 10MW electrical installation

HyIron has made significant strides in its electrical installations at the Oshivela project, positioning itself for green hydrogen production.

In a recent project update, HyIron's project engineer, Kelvin Amutenya, highlighted the company's progress in installing essential electrical equipment to support its production plans.

“We have installed 10.2 megawatts (MW) of solar structures, and on the panelling side, we have completed approximately 6 MW of solar modules. Additionally, we have finished the first stage of construction on the electrolyser house, with all walls erected and the first roof stage in place,” Amutenya said.

Electrical cabling developments

“We have also begun laying low-voltage cables that will connect our inverters to the solar structures. On the direct current side, we have nearly 200 kilometres of power cables in place, and we are looking to add about 20 km more, bringing the total to approximately 220 km of cabling,” he explained.

The Oshivela project aims to establish the first industrial production of iron with net-zero emissions using HyIron technology. The initial phase targets an annual output of 15 000 tonnes of direct reduced iron (DRI), with production slated to commence in late 2024. Oshivela is poised to become one of the largest primary green iron production sites globally, expected to prevent 27 000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually – equivalent to 50% of Namibia’s power industry emissions.

Renewable energy will replace fossil fuels in the traditional production process. At Oshivela, a solar and wind energy power plant will provide the necessary renewable energy. The first phase includes a 20 MW solar photovoltaic installation that will supply carbon-free electricity to the facility. Plans for the scaled-up production phase include an additional 18 MW of wind energy and 140 MW of solar energy.



Carbon emission targets

The power plant will primarily supply energy for water electrolysis, which produces hydrogen as a reduction agent. This hydrogen will then be transported to the furnace, where it reacts with the oxygen in iron ore at ambient pressure, reverting to water, which is subsequently reused in the process.

With an annual production capacity of 1 million tonnes of iron, the Oshivela project is projected to avoid 1.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year. If this technology is applied to meet the additional production capacity of 300 million tonnes by 2030, it could potentially prevent 540 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, making a substantial contribution to combating climate change.